DOGFIGHT! The Mourning Glory
by Anubis Soundwave
Summary: TFCS. An impromptu air duel between the Aerialbots and the Seekers.
1. DOGFIGHT! The Mourning Glory

**TRANSFORMERS: CYBERTRON SAGA**

**AERIALBOTS #3**: DOGFIGHT! THE MOURNING GLORY.

byline: Anubis C. Soundwave

_**Scene:**_ 1

Outside the Ark, Skyfire waits patiently along with four of the Aerialbots: Air Raid, Fireflight, Skydive and Slingshot; as their leader, Silverbolt, listens to the last of Optimus Prime's orders.

_**Scene:**_ 2

"...a simple, routine patrol. I've got it, sir," answers Silverbolt.

"I know. Do you and the others have any problems with Skyfire tagging along?" Optimus asks.

"No more than the usual, sir." Silverbolt glances at Slingshot, letting a teasing smile form on his lips. "He always comes around in the end."

Optimus studies his young lieutenant. "Starting to understand him a bit better?" he asks.

"A little. I know he's a good guy at his core," continues Silverbolt. "We just have a hell of a time getting past his walls."

"Give him time." Optimus places a hand on Silverbolt's shoulder.

"I will." Silverbolt salutes Optimus.

"Good hunting." Optimus nods. "And good luck."

Silverbolt leaves Optimus to join the other Aerialbots and Skyfire.

_**Scene:**_ 3

The Aerialbots and Skyfire patrol the skies.

"No need to worry, Skyfire. If the Decepticons ever decide to show themselves," says Slingshot, "stand back! Just watch me work."

"Will you please quit lying to our new friend?" Air Raid slides over to the white Harrier. "Not even five minutes in the air," the black F-15 teases, "and you're already wound up."

"That just means he's excited," states Skyfire, laughing. "His class lives for combat."

"Are you speaking from experience?" asks Skydive.

"Not that experience, thankfully," answers Skyfire. "This was before the War."

"Ah. Back when Starscream was sane and rational."

"Yes."

"Ah, he was probably still a creep," counters Slingshot.

"You're right." Skyfire chuckles, almost to himself. "But he was a good friend."

"Oh. Sorry. I know how that can be." Slingshot veers off from the formation.

"It's not like that, Slingshot," says Skyfire. "Starscream and I," he continues bitterly, "burned those bridges before you five came online."

"Copy that. I have my own experiences; that's all."

"Up go the walls again," quips Silverbolt.

"You ought to worry less about any walls of mine," scoffs Slingshot, dodging a wandering Fireflight, "and more about our Flying Red Anvil."

"Not again!" Silverbolt pulls up. "Watch it, Flight!"

"Sorry. There's a lot of cloud cover," says Fireflight.

"You were looking for a nice patch of meadow to crash in," Skydive mocks. "Stay focused," he continues curtly. "We don't want to end up merged in the wrong way--like we did last time."

Fireflight pulls up to join Air Raid. "Don't lecture me. I said I was sorry."

"Sometimes, that just isn't good enough," Silverbolt mutters.

"Give it a rest!" says Air Raid. "Everybody in our unit's got problems."

"That in itself is a problem," notes Skydive.

"Calm down," says Skyfire. "You shouldn't snipe at each other like that."

"It's okay," Fireflight sighs. "Slingshot started it--as usual."

"Standard emotional deflector shield," adds Air Raid.

"What is this: an Air Unit or a group counseling session?" scoffs Slingshot.

Air Raid and Fireflight transform.

"Grab him!" orders Air Raid, diving after Slingshot.

"We'll hug the jerkiness out of him!" adds Fireflight, joining Air Raid in the group hug.

"No!" roars Slingshot jokingly as he transforms, absorbing his teammates' embraces. "Hugs and tenderness--my one weakness. I'm melting, Skyfire--melting...! What a world...."

"Quit quoting Earthian movies, or I'm joining that pile on," quips Skydive.

"I'm tempted to join in the fun myself," adds Silverbolt, "but I need all three of you back in formation."

"Aw...." Pouting, Fireflight transforms.

"You're no fun, Bolt," adds Air Raid as he and Slingshot transform.

"Yes, I am. I just know better ways to have fun." Silverbolt chuckles, laughing at a mysterious, private joke.

"Like what?" asks Slingshot.

"I'll show you someday. Hopefully soon."

"Hey! If you share with him, then you share with us all," quips Air Raid.

"I get the feeling," muses Silverbolt, "that you already know what my idea of fun is."

"Really?"

"He's right, Raid." Fireflight coasts over to Air Raid, aligning their wingtips.

"He is?"

"Yeah." Fireflight's voice hits a low-frequency. "Remember...?"

Air Raid responds to Fireflight in the same frequency. "Oh...."

_**Scene:**_ 4

_For all their griping,_ muses Skyfire as he and the Aerialbots continue their patrol,_ their unit coordination is superb. Fireflight has some focus issues, but that's the duty of a flight instructor._

Skyfire pulls up to dodge a drifting Fireflight._ ...a patient flight instructor. Keeping it all in perspective: it must have taken Starscream many M-cycles to get to the Aerialbots' level--with a wingmate like Skywarp._

_No...it's not really surprising that I'm thinking of Starscream. These five were brought together to match the Decepticons in the sky. Along with Powerglide and myself--as well as Blades, Cosmos and the Dinobots--they are the Autobots' air power on Earth._

_Also...they remind me of other friends of mine. I have yet to see Algol flying after me with denunciations of "Traitor!" and the applicable death threats. It's likely he died during this war, along with the others. Why else would Starscream fly with Thundercracker and Skywarp as wingmates?_

_Starscream may be a treacherous, duplicitous son-of-a-glitch; he was like that even back then, judging by some of the rows he and Algol had. I can now infer that most of those fights were about Megatron, based on Starscream's continual efforts to overthrow our favorite Decepticon leader._

_If Starscream would quit dragging the Autobots and Earth into his power struggles with Megatron, we'd be happy to let him fracture the Decepticons with infighting. Hell, I'd personally help him--in order undermine the Cause._

_Universal conquest: how stupid, how pointless! It's such a waste of our lives, our talents, our resources. Yet...is the Autobot effort any better? Is their cause worth fighting for, or are they just reacting to the Decepticons' actions?_

_Never accept anything at face value. That's the first thing I learned from my father when I first came online._

"Watch your six, Skyfire!"_ Slingshot...just saved my life. He fires a mortar volley at..._

_...Starscream. _"Damn you, you worthless little Autobot!"_ My former friend always did know how to liven up a humdrum day._

_**Scene:**_ 5

"What the fuck is going on!?" demands Silverbolt, dodging Ramjet. "Dive?"

"I'll throw this one to Slingshot, as I don't have a damned clue," says Skydive as he eludes Thrust and Dirge.

"They're the enemy--who the hell cares!?" Slingshot continues to unload a weapons salvo at Starscream and Thundercracker; the two Seekers barely escape Slingshot's barrage. "Damn it!"

_**Scene:**_ 6

"Slagger! Get off my cockpit!" spits Skywarp, trying to shake off Air Raid; the Autobot jetwarrior had reverted to root mode.

"You're a nut, Raid!" laughs Fireflight, even as he dodges a furious Thundercracker.

"I can't help it if Warpy needs new material," Air Raid quips.

"Oh, yeah? I'll learn ya, runt!" Skywarp teleports out of Air Raid's grip.

"We need to regroup!" Skyfire dodges Starscream's cluster bombs.

"Agreed!" Silverbolt heads into the clouds. "Let's get a move on, Aerialbots!"

"Aw--it was getting fun!" Grinning, Air Raid transforms. He, Fireflight and Skydive follow Silverbolt into the clouds.

"Get inside," Skyfire orders Slingshot, opening his cargo hold..

"I can handle 'em--there's only six!" Slingshot shifts to his root mode. "I don't like to cut and run."

"Your wingleader already gave the order!"

"So?"

"You saved my life," spits Skyfire, grabbing Slingshot and forcing the Aerialbot inside his cargo hold, "so I'm saving yours. _Stubborn fool_," the super jet adds in a lower frequency.

With Slingshot on board, Skyfire disappears into the clouds.

_**Scene:**_ 7

"Insufferable traitor!" Starscream transforms, red optics ablaze with fury.

"This again, Screamer?" Skywarp snorts.

"Oh, you think this is a joke, Skywarp!?"

"Hey, what happened to your usual 'Quit calling me--'?" Skywarp sustains a hit to his jaw before he could think to teleport. "Watch it! I was--*"

"You want to cheer me up?" seethes Starscream, his vocoder several octaves lower than normal.

Skywarp scratches his head. "Uh, somethin' like that...."

"Then find the Traitor and those five. Now! I want the six of them destroyed!"

"Starscream's not acting normal," says Thrust. "Since when does he start a fight--*" Thrust escapes a shot from Starscream's null ray.

"Quit firing at Thrust," barks Ramjet, "or he will be of no use to your objective...whatever it may be." Ramjet glares at Starscream as Thrust hides behind the white Seeker.

"Then obey me, if you value your lives!" glowers Starscream.

"Very well." Ramjet nudges Thrust away. "Wings of Chaos: we seek and slay!" The white F-15 transforms, then flies off.

_**Scene:**_ 8

"We're dead, aren't we?" mutters Dirge as he and Thrust transform and follow their wingleader.

"We will be if we don't do what Starscream says," counters Thrust. "He has murder in his optics."

"Do not be cowards!" orders Ramjet. "We are equal to the Archangels, if it comes to that." Privately, Ramjet agreed with with Thrust's assessment; Starscream's behavior was erratic, odd.

_I will kill young Slingshot myself_, he muses, nursing a carefully-hidden attraction to the warrior Aerialbot, _rather than allow Starscream to dishonor him._

_**Scene:**_ 9

"Look, Screamer: I know you're in one of your scary moods," spits Skywarp, "but you know I'm the worst at following somebody blind."

"Yes; though I'm well aware of your incompetence," says Starscream, "I won't tolerate your insubordination! Go!"

"This can't just be about ol' Skyf--huh?" Skywarp notes Thundercracker's hand on his shoulder. "What?"

"We're on it, Starscream." The sky-blue jetwarrior nods, nudging Skywarp. He and Skywarp shift to jet mode and streak away to find the Aerialbots and Skyfire.

Alone, Starscream takes out a private possession: a holoimage of himself, smiling with Skyfire and five other equally-cheerful jet mechs.

"I will see you die, Skyfire. And when we send those Autobot abominations with you to hell, my stars will be avenged...." Returning the holoimage to subspace, Starscream transforms and follows after his jetwarriors.

Laserbeak emerges from a cloud; unseen, he follows Starscream.

_**Scene:**_ 10

Skywarp aligns himself with Thundercracker. "It's about _them_, ain't it?" the black-and-purple jetwarrior asks.

"Yep. I feel sympathy for the Aerialbots," continues Thundercracker, "but orders are orders."

"If it doesn't have much to do with the Cause, I'm lost, Thunder. Ain't we supposed to be on a scannin' run?"

"Let's put it this way. As much as I hate Starscream at times--"

"--which, honestly, is most of the time the three of us have known each other," quips Skywarp.

"Ugh. Nine M-cycles of this scrap. Even with four of those in stasis, it's still too long. With that said," continues Thundercracker, "not even Starscream deserved to lose his wingmates. You know that's one of the reasons he's the way he is."

"I'm not much for logic, but it wasn't Traitor Skyfrag's fault either."

"I have no sympathy for him." Thundercracker glowers. "If he was Starscream's friend, he was _their_ friend. Skyfire was a science geek; the moment he saw our Autobot flyboys, he should have steered clear of 'em."

"Air Raid is kind of like Rigel," muses Skywarp, "but Algol would spit nails at bein' compared to an Autobot. Class Fives hate Autobots."

Thundercracker transforms. "The Aerialbots aren't Autobots. They're a set of confused Arwings, as far as I'm concerned."

"This is part of your elitist blind spot for things that fly." Skywarp transforms.

"Call it what you want. If those five had the mentality of Autobots, they would never have escaped us."

"You're itching for this dogfight?"

"Yeah, stupid!"

"But what's the--?"

"You outrank me. You tell me!"

"I don't know why I outrank ya."

Thundercracker allows a bitter smile to play on his features. "Politics."

"Quit thinkin' about your slaggin' doubts! Ya nerd!" Skywarp taps his wingmate's face. "The Cause is absolute and all that."

"That much I know. Strategically," continues Thundercracker, "it's win-win. If we win the dogfight, they and Skyfire die. If we somehow lose, we still know their strengths and weaknesses."

"I dunno...."

"Now who has doubts?" smirks Thundercracker.

"I don't hate that cat-eared runt. He's too much fun," Skywarp admits. "Starscream's out for Autobot fuel--and plenty of it."

"Even on this primitive alien backwater of a planet, the sky is our domain. If the Aerialbots die from a little dogfight," continues Thundercracker, "then they never had a right to be here."

"A message to the Autobots, then?"

"Yep."

Starscream arrives, transforming. "You've made it clear to this dunderhead, right, Thundercracker?" he scowls.

"Yes, Air Commander." Thundercracker salutes Starscream.

"Spare me the ceremony. I want them dead! Archangels of Destruction: we search and destroy!" The three Seekers transform and search for Skyfire and the Aerialbots.

_**Scene:**_ 11

Skyfire, with all of the Aerialbots within his cargo hold, flies several thousand feet above the Seekers of Vilnacron. "All clear, guys," he says. "Now get out of me."

"Oh, don't deny it," chuckles Silverbolt. "You love having me inside you."

"Knock it off, Silverbolt. I'm not used to mass-shifting at this stage. You're all too big."

"I like it in here," Silverbolt continues. "So nice and tight."

"He's not talking to you," says Skydive as he exits Skyfire.

"Haven't you noticed how quiet our trip was since the rest of us hitched a ride?" adds Air Raid slyly.

"Don't you have a unit to lead?" asks Skyfire wearily.

Slingshot adds an irritated--yet muffled--agreement, his mouth occupied with Silverbolt's lower torso.

"Lick it, slag-off, or I'll drive my cable straight down your intake valve." Silverbolt grins crudely, amused at Slingshot's embarrassment.

"It'll be nice to know Slingshot overloaded you when the Seekers kill us," notes Fireflight.

"If I've gotta go, I'm going happy."

"Get out!" orders Skyfire. "Take that back to your recharge berth at the base."

"Fine, Skyfire." Silverbolt nudges his crotch out of Slingshot's mouth.

"About damn time." Slingshot stands and rights himself, then exits Skyfire's cargo hold.

"You always this much fun, Skyfire," asks Silverbolt, "or should Slingshot and I fool around inside you all the time?"

"This ain't happening again, chief." Slingshot scowls, wiping a bit of excess lubricant from his mouth.

"Yeah," says Silverbolt exiting Skyfire. "Next time, it won't be your own lube trickling down your chin.."

"Finally!" Skyfire reduces his jet mode to its standard size, then transforms.

Silverbolt's optics twinkle as he smiles, even as Skyfire narrows the distance between them. "What...?" he asks in an incredulous tone.

"I don't care how warm and lubed Slingshot's mouth may be--don't ever put me through that again. Especially," Skyfire continues, "when all of our lives are at stake."

"Sure...." Silverbolt looks around. "If you don't mind me asking," the Aerialbot leader continues, "what's your altimeter readout? I turned mine off."

"Just turn it back on."

"...if I do that, I'll panic and be worse than useless up here."

"Higher than normal. Do we wait until the Seekers lose interest?" Skyfire asks.

Silverbolt shuts his optics tightly, not liking Skyfire's vague altimeter reading. "Options," he orders his teammates. "I need them, now."

Several minutes pass; the Aerialbots and Skyfire continue to argue different options.

"Again: in order to minimize collateral damage, we need to return to base," says Skyfire.

"No!" counters Air Raid. "These jack-afts are itching for a fight; I say we give them one."

"Are there any dogfighters in this unit?"

"You're looking at one!" Air Raid leans into Skyfire's personal space. "We don't run from a fight!"

"I never said we should run. We have to think about the native inhabitants of Earth in addition to our own goals," says Skyfire calmly.

"If that's the case," says Slingshot, "then heading back to base with Decepticons on our six is just asking for a high casualty count. A bunch of diplomats are at the Ark today--it's one of the reasons we're up here." Slingshot allows a scowl to appear.

"The others were probably just worried that I'd mess things up," smiles Fireflight sheepishly. "Remember, the Dinobots were sent out too."

Slingshot places a hand on Fireflight's shoulder.

Silverbolt looks at his wingmates and Skyfire. He turns to Skydive. "What's your take?"

"We have three options: one, to return to base without the Seekers' knowledge, two, extended aerial combat; and three, Superion."

"Swatting the six of them out of the air as Superion does sound interesting," muses Skyfire. "I can keep them from tagging the gestalt's weak points, and serve as a distraction."

Air Raid and Slingshot snort at the Superion option.

"It's the fastest way--if it's a fight you want to take to them," continues Skyfire.

"If we--military-encoded jetwarriors--can't handle six enemy jetwarriors without Superion," spits Slingshot, "then we may as well hang up our wings now."

"Slingy said it better than I would have, damn him," adds Air Raid. "I'm sick of their high-and-mighty attitude."

"Which differs substantially from your own 'high-and-mighty attitudes' how?" asks Skyfire, smirking.

"Our wing leader's down-to-earth," smiles Air Raid, "so he tries to keep us out of trouble."

"I see." _Never mind that Silverbolt's the worst of the lot of you._ Skyfire shakes his head. "What objective would be acheived by engaging the Seekers of Vilnacron--the Decepticon Imperial Battle Fleet's top jetwarrior squadron?"

"We'd finally knock Starscream and his goons off their pedestals!" answers Air Raid.

"It may create a crisis of confidence in the six of them. As they are the elite of the Decepticon ranks," continues Skydive, "it could have a ripple effect throughout their whole army."

"The up-and-comers in the Decepticons will come in droves to 'prove' that the Seekers' defeat was a fluke, or that they're bad-afts," muses Silverbolt. "We'd then take them out as they come."

"We'd have ultimate bragging rights," adds Air Raid, grinning.

"Allow me to present an alternate scenario: we all die," says Skyfire, scowling, "and none of your speculations come to pass."

"So what's it gonna be, wing leader?" asks Slingshot.

Silverbolt locks his optics onto his wingmates and Skyfire. "We take the fight to them."

_**Scene:**_ 12

Twenty minutes later, the Aerialbots and Skyfire finalize the battle plan.

"Does everyone know their position?" Silverbolt asks. Skyfire, Air Raid, Fireflight and Skydive nod; the four transform and fly out of the cloud bank.

Silverbolt is alone with Slingshot. "Hey," asks the Concorde, "what gives? Having second thoughts?"

"...no! I understand what I'm supposed to do," scowls Slingshot. "I just never thought I'd be a wing leader."

"What are you complaining about now? You've got a pair of highly capable pilots, and you're a master ringleader," notes Silverbolt wryly.

"Ah, you know I don't mean half that stuff," Slingshot pouts, trembling.

"Nervous?" Silverbolt takes hold of Slingshot's hands.

Slingshot frowns. "I might be...."

Silverbolt smiles, knowing Slingshot's answer was as close to an admission of frailty as the Harrier would get.

"I mean...we've got to take these guys out!" continues Slingshot, tense. "We need to know where we stand--once and for all. So much is riding on this; we--we can't.... We can't lose."

"I don't want to blow this either." Silverbolt places his hands on Slingshot's shoulders. "I've got an idea."

Slingshot gives his wing leader a confused pout.

"We'll use Superion to our own advantage." After pulling a small cord from subspace, Silverbolt reaches behind his head and plugs one end of the cord into his primary neural jack. The Autobot wing commander grabs the other end of the cord, presenting it to Slingshot.

"You want to create a neural LAN," notes Slingshot.

Silverbolt nods.

"I don't know...it's too much like a dive to me."

"Trust me; _those_ programs won't be accessed. Now lower your head guard so we can network."

"But why?"

"It's the best way for us to coordinate our movements." Silverbolt winces. "You feel comfortable up here--at home. I know how to command. I draw strength from you, and vice-versa."

"I'm just a little leery about opening myself up." Slingshot winces, but complies.

Silverbolt starts to plug into Slingshot's neural jack, already sensing his wingmate's carefully-guarded impressions. "You've never kissed anyone?" Silverbolt asks.

"Not that it's your business," says Slingshot curtly, blushing, "but...no."

"If it'll take your mind off this battle...." Silverbolt presses his lip components onto Slingshot's, the larger mech sliding his oral sensor array into Slingshot's mouth. While Slingshot is distracted, Silverbolt plugs the cord into Slingshot's neural jack, completing the LAN circuit.

Silverbolt breaks the kiss just as the LAN connection is established. As the Aerialbot leader transforms, Slingshot touches his lip components.

"Hey," asks Silverbolt. "You ready?"

"I guess...." Slingshot transforms and flies off.

_Hm.... I've got to do more of __**that**__ to him. Often._ Savoring the thrill of both the kiss and his new link with Slingshot, Silverbolt flies after the Harrier, for once unafraid.

_**Scene:**_ 13

"I see them!" reports Thundercracker. "It's almost like they're expecting us."

"Good. Let's not disappoint them. But first...." Starscream turns and fires at a flying object.

"...Laserbeak?" balks Skywarp as Laserbeak leaves the Seeker formation. "Why'd you fire at him?"

"This is our battle--I'll brook no interference from the likes of him. Now let's go!" Starscream resumes the chase, followed by his squadron.

_**Scene:**_ 14

Laserbeak abruptly returns to Soundwave, silently reporting that Starscream rejected his help. Soundwave studies the condor, then flies into the six Seekers' path.

Starscream, at the head of the pack, transforms to avoid crashing into Soundwave; startled by the communicator's abrupt appearance.

The lead Seeker turns to the others: Thundercracker, Skywarp, Ramjet, Thrust and Dirge. "Find the Traitor and those Aerialbots."

"Whatever you say, Screamer," Skywarp quips as he flies off with the others.

"I'll let that slide for today," scoffs Starscream to Skywarp.

Starscream turns to Soundwave, blocking the blue mech's punch. "I will _not_ have your interference in this," the Seeker hisses. "They are _mine_."

Soundwave snatches his fist out of Starscream's grip. "Why did you fire at Laserbeak?"

"I just _gave_ you my answer, you dolt."

"Unacceptable. Megatron has authorized no attack on--*"

"Have you forgotten," asks Starscream quietly, "the day that the Autobots first turned _your dead_ against you?"

Soundwave is silent, an abrupt turn of his head the only answer.

Starscream notes the act; for Soundwave, even an oblique mention of his sister's death amounted to a slap to the face. "I didn't think so. You have your Autobot _abominations_ to destroy. I have mine."

Soundwave faces Starscream a moment, then nods. Starscream shifts back into jet mode and rejoins his squadron.

"Megatron shall be informed," Soundwave intones. He stops Laserbeak from flying off. "_Only_ if Starscream fails...."

Laserbeak nods in understanding. Both he and Soundwave follow after Starscream from a discreet distance.

_**Scene:**_ 15

The Seekers of Vilnacron, again locating the Aerialbots and Skyfire, chase the Autobot squadron and the super jet through the skies.

"Autobot cowards!" spits Ramjet. "Face us!"

"Ah, we'll face you when we're good and ready to kick your afts," quips Air Raid. "_So when are we gonna give Rammy and his pals what they want?_" the Autobot F-15 asks Silverbolt through their gestalt link.

"_When Fireflight finds a good spot for us to take them out. We have to stay within Slingshot's range,_" continues Silverbolt, "_or our plan is shot._"

"_We're at the Grand Canyon,_" reports Fireflight.

"_That's as close to uninhabited as we'll get,_" notes Skydive.

"_But, there's a--*_"

"_It's now or never, Flight; Starscream's nosecone is dangerously close to my exhaust valve_." Silverbolt pulls up to elude the red-and-silver Decepticon.

Skywarp notes the Autobot formation's change in trajectory. "You guys ready to fight now, eh?" he quips. "Then let's get this party started!"

"Ah, shut your yap!" spits Slingshot. He and Skywarp trade weapons salvos as the dogfight begins.

_**Scene:**_ 16

"A planes!" Raleigh Newcastle, a three-year old boy, points up to the sky.

Leader One smiles at the small boy, General Newcastle's younger grandson. "That's right. There are lots of planes here, Raleigh."

Dewey joins his younger brother and the Guardian leader outside UNECOM. "They're fighting!" Dewey notes after cleaning his glasses.

"A dogfight? Here?" Leader One looks up, and notes with irritation the dogfight over Guardian and UNECOM airspace. _Seven Eagles, a red Phantom, a white Harrier-II, a gray Falcon, a Concorde SST...and a Cybertronian super jet--all of whom endanger human lives. This is fragging swell._

"I like the black F-15," says Dewey, eyes shining.

"There's two." Raleigh shows two small, chubby brown fingers to his older brother.

"The one that's not popping in-and-out--the Autobot."

"Go, Autobot! Go Op-amus!" Raleigh mispronounces the now-famous Autobot leader's name.

_As far as I'm concerned,_ seethes Leader One silently, _"Op-amus" can go straight to hell._

He gently picks up the two boys. "Let's go inside so we can tell your grandpa about this," says Leader One.

"I wanna watch," Dewey protests.

"See the planes," adds Raleigh.

"It'll be even better on the big screen inside Guardian Headquarters." Leader One reenters UNECOM with the Newcastle brothers.

_**Scene:**_ 17

Slingshot howls as he takes Ramjet down. "Decepti-clown goin' down!"

"Nice!" Silverbolt congratulates Slingshot with a soft EM pulse over the Harrier's hull. "_Fireflight,_" continues the Autobot air commander silently, "_are the Wings down for the count?_"

"_For a while, at least,_" answers Fireflight.

"_Good. Let's shift to Phase Two. Slingshot: you up?_" relays Silverbolt.

"_Ready as I'll ever be._" Slingshot slides over to Skyfire. "_Dive, just like we planned._"

"_Roger._" Skydive buzzes Skyfire's internal radio as the Aerialbot tactician joins formation. "**We're at Phase Two.**"

"**Understood.**" Skyfire moves into position.

_**Scene:**_ 18

Leader One maneuvers himself into the dogfight over the Grand Canyon. "Attention unauthorized aircraft: you are in United States and Guardian airspace. Land immediately," orders the Guardian commander "or you will be forced down."

The nine jets respond with weapons fire.

"Silverbolt, Slingshot: take this fight of yours elsewhere--preferably over Optimus Prime's head."

"Not now, old-timer--I'm trying to keep this teleporting jack-aft pinned!" hisses Slingshot.

"Zark off, Leader None!" adds Skywarp, trying to outmanuever Slingshot. "This is Decepticon business."

Leader One transforms, unsympathetic to either side. "Then get it the hell out of my airspace, Skywarp."

"Silence, Guardian," spits Starscream, "or you shall share the same fate as these miserable Aerialbots _and_ the Traitor!"

"There are civilians below!" counters Leader One. "I won't let you endanger their--what the hell!?" Leader One evades a new attack...

...from a Mitsubishi Zero? "Leave them!" demands the Zero. "Theirs is a duel of honor, Leader One." The Zero leaves the dogfight, baiting Leader One to chase him.

"I'll deal with you guys later. Right now I have a Renegade named Zero to dispatch." Leader One follows Zero away from the dogfight.

"Where were we?" muses Starscream. "Oh, yes--we were disposing of Autobot trash!"

"Not likely, Screechy!" Air Raid fires missiles at the Decepticon Air Commander.

_**Scene:**_ 19

Ten minutes pass, and Starscream considers the skillful coordination between the two Autobot air formations.

_They're good...too good. Thundercracker, Skywarp and I have flown together for over nine M-cycles; yet even we aren't in flawless sync as they are. This pathetic Autobot team was cobbled together by Optimus Prime one cycle ago,_ Starscream continues thinking, _and Skyfire only flew with them today--that much I can tell, judging by his pitiful showing here._

_In particular, Silverbolt and Slingshot.... Ah. I see the scheme. Time to break up their little duet!_

Starscream attacks Silverbolt relentlessly. "_**Thundercracker,**_" the Decepticon wing leader orders silently, "_**focus all attacks on the weakest point in their little formation.**_"

"_**Done.**_" Thundercracker hammers Skyfire, and Skywarp follows suit.

_**Scene:**_ 20

"Coverage, guys, coverage!" spits Silverbolt, even as his flying becomes shaky. _I'm starting to panic! I shouldn't be panicking...! Slingshot, where are you..!? Why can't I...?_ Silverbolt realizes the goal of Starscream's barrage. _No...it's gone. The link!_

"That's right, usurper!" crows Starscream, triumphant. "No aid from Superion. You must _earn_ those wings you wear."

Air Raid fires several torque missiles at his red-and-silver F-15 counterpart. "Slag off, Screamer!"

"Hey!" spits Skywarp, still trapped in the other Aerialbot formation. "Only I get to call Screamer 'Screamer'!"

Slingshot blocks Skywarp. "You have to get past _me_ first, guy."

"With pleasure, Autobot!"

_**Scene:**_ 21

On the ground, Leader One scowls at Zero. The dark green Renegade uses his fire suppression systems to prevent himself from exploding.

"Why the hell did you do that?" demands Leader One.

Zero's optics brighten. "_Nijuugo-kun_, wasn't this exhilirating?"

Leader One winces at the old nickname, which brought back several painful memories of betrayal. "...no."

"You're a terrible liar." Zero smiles knowingly at his former Guardian pupil. "Would you rob them of this, their lifeblood?"

"Energon."

"_Fuel_ then, damn you. So literal. Or are you still--deep within--ever the smart-aft?" asks Zero flippantly.

"Time...has passed between us." Leader One tenses a fist, thinking of Zero's betrayal of Gobotron, which eventually led to the _other_....

"To our kind," says Zero, standing, "time is meaningless. Struggle is eternal. That is the legacy of our forefathers."

Leader One chuckles. "Two of _them_ are still alive."

"I'm running out of wizened sayings here," pouts Zero childishly, reminding Leader One of Pocket.

"Then shut up. This fight won't end by my interference--I get it." Smiling bitterly, Leader One resigns himself to observing the--admittedly-exciting--dogfight.

_**Scene:**_ 22

"Skyfire! Stay in the damn game!" roars Slingshot, driving off Thundercracker.

"We should never have engaged them," counters Skyfire. "This battle is pointless. Innocent people are endangered below."

"Listen. I need your help. I actually _do_ understand what you're really dealing with--even _more_ than you," Slingshot continues, "and even more than you'll _know_."

"Did you betray your friend?" asks Skyfire, his voice laced with self-loathing and doubt.

"No, because I never _had_ friends. I do have wingmates, now, who need us to hold this damn line--and we _will_ hold it."

"...you're that determined?"

"If you don't fight this battle, these _**Suckers**_ will always bludgeon you. They're counting on you to _lose confidence and die_; _I'm_ counting on you to help us win this thing, thus making _me_ look good to Optimus and the old-timer."

"All things considered, Slingshot is the _lesser_ of the two evils," Skydive teases.

Skyfire mulls over Slingshot's words, then joins in the ribbing with Skydive. "I can't argue with Skydive's logic."

_**Scene:**_ 23

Sixty minutes later, Ramjet, Dirge and Thrust complete their repairs on the ground; preparing to reenter the dogfight.

In the sky, Fireflight notes Thrust testing his wings. "Not good...." The red Phantom relays the images to Silverbolt.

_Like I don't have enough problems. _ "**Guys,**" radios Silverbolt, _"_**if they get in the air, we're fucked.**_"_

"**They've had time to rest and fix themselves. We've been in the air with the Archangels for over sixty minutes,**" continues Skydive_. _"**The most logical course is to retreat.**"

"**Starscream won't let us do that,**" counters Silverbolt.

"**Even if we do,**" adds Skyfire, "_i_**n Starscream's state of mind, he'd probably follow us to Autobot headquarters--with every Decepticon that can fly.**"

"**Hey, I'm tired,**" says Air Raid, firing at Starscream, "**but we can't let these guys push us out of the skies.**"

"Return to the ground, worthless Autobot. You have no place here in the heavens!" hisses Starscream, firing his null ray at Air Raid.

"Starscream, you've gone cuckoo for _**Cocoa Puffs**_ today, huh?" quips Air Raid, dodging the lead Decepticon jetwarrior's laser fire.

"You will die!"

In the other Autobot formation, Slingshot, Skydive and Skyfire amplify the sound of their own and Thundercracker's engines; while Skyfire fires on the Wings of Chaos.

Panicked, Thrust and Dirge flee.

Ramjet pursues his craven wingmates. "Come back, you miserable cowards! It is twice now that Slingshot has used Thundercracker's foolish trick!" The Wings of Chaos fly off into the distance, and out of the dogfight.

Irritated, Skywarp transforms and kicks Thundercracker's hull, forcing the sky-blue jetwarrior to transform.

"_**Cut your slagging engines--the little shocks are using your trick!**_" radios Skywarp.

Thundercracker levels a murderous glare at the white Harrier. "_**...I have other tricks,**__"_ he hisses to Skywarp over their comm frequency. "_**Time to teach them a lesson!**_**"**

Thundercracker attacks Slingshot directly. "Break their fucking line!" he bellows.

"When did this idiot learn Earthian expletives?" mutters Skyfire as he and Skydive dodge Skywarp.

"Who knows," says Skydive dourly, firing at Skywarp, "and who the hell cares?"

"Your strategy is flawless," says Thundercracker, begrudging the compliment, "but you're a rookie. Get out of my air!"

Slingshot transforms, attacking Thundercracker via neutron rifle. "Oh, frag off!"

"Language, Slingshot," counsels Skydive.

Skywarp fires at the Aerialbot tactician. "Go zark yourself, egghead!"

_**Scene:**_ 24

On the ground, Leader One and Zero continue to watch the Cybertronian dogfight.

"What a relief," says Leader One in a whisper. "Slingshot's no longer trying to hot-dog it. He won't be so sloppy."

"Eh?" Zero gives Leader One a quizzical look.

"It's still not looking good for his _ad hoc_ squad up there. Honestly," the Guardian leader continues, "who was he trying to impress up there?"

Zero slaps Leader One on the back of the head. "You, _bakayarou_."

_**Scene:**_ 25

In the sky, Silverbolt's formation begins to break up.

"How's he doing this to us!?" balks Fireflight, panicking. "We've got the advantage!"

"Stay calm, Fireflight. He's about to fall." Silverbolt's measured response underscores his inner panic, which echoes Fireflight's. _Damn. We've got to finish Starscream--that's the only way this stupid dogfight will end._

Silverbolt notes Slingshot's own flagging formation. _If those two aft ports break Slingshot's triangle...._

Starscream transforms, attacking Silverbolt. "So, Autobot: you've finally realized the truth," says the lead Decepticon jetwarrior, smug. "When my wingmates break that pathetic mockery of a battle formation, you and the other fools are finished."

"Don't underestimate me or my wingmates. We've kicked your can before," counters Silverbolt.

"True, but we aren't going _easy_ on you this time. If you value your life," continues Starscream, "then go back to the earth, where you _belong_!"

Silverbolt transforms and grips Starscream's neck, granting the lead Seeker a savage glare.

Starscream stares at the Autobot wing commander in mute, near-strangled shock.

"You know what?" Silverbolt smiles thinly. "I'm going to give you a piece of _my_ mind."

Ordering Air Raid and Fireflight to widen the formation, Silverbolt--with Starscream's neck column still in hand--plunges into several cumulus clouds. The clouds darken, heighten and solidify into a cumulonimbus cell.

A thunderstorm breaks, frightening most of the jets in the air.

"What the...you seeded the clouds, Silverbolt?" balks Skydive.

"Are you insane!?" adds Skyfire.

Fireflight trembles at the storm. "We and electrical storms from hell don't mix--we need to leave," he advises.

"No! We break these _slaargs_, now," spits Silverbolt, releasing Starscream's neck, "or they break us!" He attacks Starscream relentlessly.

"You think a bit of rain will bother me, Auto--ah!" Starscream succumbs to a bolt of lightning, then to Silverbolt--who sends the lead Decepticon jetwarrior into another fork of lightning.

"He...really can fly!" marvels Skyfire.

"Don't back Silverbolt into a corner," quips Skydive.

Skywarp transforms, optics wide. "What happened to his zarkin' fear of heights!?"

Slingshot knocks Skywarp into another thunderbolt. "That."

"When the weather's like _this_, Starscream," hisses Silverbolt, "I'm a damned _god_ in the air; and you're an arrogant angel, meant to be cast down below and forgotten!" With that, Silverbolt finishes Starscream off, using a double-fisted overhead slam to send Starscream hurtling to the earth below.

_**Scene:**_ 26

Starscream hits the ground hard, struggling to a seated position.

Silverbolt lands, facing the prone red-and-silver Seeker; a fierce, intense fury burns in his optics. Lightning strikes behind the young Aerialbot leader, adding to an already-fearsome impression.

One that was not lost on an addled Starscream. "M-Megatron...?" he gasps.

"What?" spits Silverbolt.

Starscream's optics widen; he then winces, shaking his head in realization. "No...you're not him."

Silverbolt scowls, fixing his optics on the Decepticon jetwarrior. "Listen to me carefully. I'm a patient guy. I don't start fights. But no one--_no one_--tells _me_ what to do, or where I belong. Now go fuck yourself!"

Starscream stares in muted shock at Silverbolt as the Aerialbot leader backs away.

Silverbolt tilts his head to the sky, looking up at his wingmates and Skyfire. "We're done here!" he spits. "Aerialbots, let's jet!" Joining his wingmates in the sky, Silverbolt leaves for Autobot Headquarters, followed by the other five Autobot jetwarriors.

_**Scene:**_ 27

Thundercracker and Skywarp land beside their wing leader, hoisting him to his feet.

"Who knew they'd put up such a fight?" marvels Thundercracker.

"Who knew they'd win?" Skywarp grins.

Starscream gives a wry smirk. "...not too bad, for their _first_ dogfight." With thst, Starscream goes offline.

Megatron arrives with Soundwave and Laserbeak. "When _**Hook**_ is done repairing the damage you all sustained in this _unauthorized_ battle," says the Decepticon general, glaring at the three Seekers, "I want your impressions on the Aerialbots--now that you've fought them seriously...and lost."

Leaving Thundercracke and Skywarp with their inert wing leader to shudder at the prospect of the surgical engineer's painful repairs, Megatron and Soundwave fly away.

_**END ISSUE 3**_


	2. DOGFIGHT! The Aftermath

**TRANSFORMERS: CYBERTRON SAGA**

_**AERIALBOTS #4**_: DOGFIGHT! THE MOURNING GLORY--AFTERMATH.

_byline_: Anubis C. Soundwave

_**Scene:**_ 1

"...diplomats are gone," reports Fireflight, noting the departure of the last limo from outside the Ark.

"Good. Let's head in," smiles Silverbolt, relieved. "We go in, recharge, and put this whole crazy dogfight bullshit behind us."

"Nothing ever goes so smoothly," mutters Skyfire. Skydive merely shakes his head knowingly.

_**Scene:**_ 2

Inside Autobot Headquarters, Blaster receives an audio-sensor full.

An irate Leader One appears on Teletraan-1's screen. "I want an answer. Now!" he snarls.

"Whoa!" Blaster winces. "Leader One, check the feedback on that frequency, man," he continues. "Tell me what happened." Until this point, the Autobot communicator had never seen the Guardian leader so furious.

"I want to speak with your leader immediately," Leader One scowls, regaining control of his temper.

Blaster sends Jazz a silent message. "_Do I lie and tell him Optimus ain't chillin' here at the HQ?_"

Jazz slaps the back of Blaster's head. "_Hell no, man--unless you want to see this jack-aft up close and personal._"

"_Damn. Way to ruin my day, man._" Blaster sends a silent message to Optimus. "Optimus should be here in a hot minute," he states to Leader One. "Meanwhile, relax and listen to the musical stylings of--*"

Leader One cuts Blaster off. "I have no interest in relaxing, and no intention of listening to _anything_ that isn't the reason why the Aerialbots decided _today_ was a great day for a dogfight over a United States airfield."

Optimus arrives, wincing in irritation at the Guardian's face onscreen. "What happened?" he asks.

"He's buggin', Prime." Blaster shakes his head. "Something about the Aerialbots and a dogfight."

"I _can_ hear you, Blaster." Leader One scowls at both Autobots.

The Aerialbots and Skyfire enter Headquarters, note the angry face of Leader One on Teletraan-1, and attempt to scurry away.

"Halt!" orders Optimus, not turning away from Teletraan-1's screen. "Aerialbots, Skyfire: come forward."

"Damn it!" hisses Slingshot. Sulking, he follows the other jetwarriors to Teletraan-1.

_**Scene:**_ 3

The Aerialbots and Skyfire fidget inside the Ark's Control Room, under the glares of Optimus and senior Autobot officers Prowl, Ironhide and Jazz.

Optimus folds his arms, breaking the tense silence. "You had no intention of telling me this because...?" he asks Silverbolt.

"This was a freak incident, sir," states Silverbolt evenly. "Starscream started the fight with us."

"And the fight over the Arizona airfield: with both the US military and UNECOM's civilian personnel?"

"Unavoidable, sir. The Seekers of Vilnacron were relentless in their pursuit."

"Did you inadvertently spot them up to something while on patrol?"

"They simply attacked us, sir. Their motive is unknown."

"And we kicked their afts back to Deceptibase," grins Air Raid, eliciting a punch in the arm from Skydive. "Ow! What was that for? We did."

"We're in enough trouble!" hisses Skydive.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Slingshot spits. "We didn't even do anything."

Optimus narrows his optics at the five young jetwarriors. "I want after-action reports from all five of you."

The Aerialbots leave. Optimus turns to Skyfire. "You too, Skyfire. You participated in the dogfight along with them."

Skyfire scowls. "Very well, sir." The super jet salutes and leaves.

_**Scene:**_ 4

A few minutes after Skyfire's exit from the Control Room, Ironhide's stern expression breaks into a huge grin. "The only question I have is how much Decepti-aft-can did our boys kick? Raider says they got it done.."

"Granted," nods Optimus, "but we don't want them endangering innocent people doing it; that's what Leader One's upset about." Optimus shakes his head.

"Come on, Prime. Turbo's done more collateral damage on one blaster."

"Ironhide, we don't want to use _him_ as a metric."

"It's just that...." Ironhide winces, revealing a soft spot for his young subordinate. "You told me and Prowl to work on Silverbolt--and he's a good kid, strong head on his shoulders."

Optimus raises a hand. "I know. I want a clear explanation of what happened out there, and I have to get the whole story to do that."

_**Scene:**_ 5

AFTER ACTION REPORT.

1: Air Raid

I have no idea how to dress this up for Leader One, so I'll just give it to you straight.

We were on patrol and Skyfire tagged along, just like you ordered. We cruised around in the air, listening to Slingshot shoot off his usual litany of lies while dragging behind Skyfire.

Out of nowhere comes the Screamer and his Wings of Doom or whatever the six of those Decepti-scraps decided to call themselves this week. He just attacked! Don't know why, don't really care.

We crammed ourselves into Skyfire--a snug fit considering that he could only shift his mass a few steps. On the bright side, Silverbolt did find a fun, interesting way to keep Slingshot's trap shut for a click.

Now, I know you're wondering: why didn't we just merge into Super-yawn?

Let me level with you--because nobody else will: we don't like him. He strips each of us of everything that makes us...us. You don't know what that's like...except in a sort of similar way.

So we try not to merge into him unless we have no other choice; you know: Mena-stink-or and Deva-stale are wreaking havoc in Boise or doing something equally lame. Truthfully, I think Superion likes it that way anyway. I guess getting us to hate his guts was part of his plan all along.

Whatever.

Back to the action. We got out of Skyfire; he then said we should run back to HQ.

Yeah, right. Like that's gonna happen.

I told the big guy straight up: "We don't run from a fight." Slingshot pointed out that Starscream would follow us back home anyway; and that would've been bad for all those diplomas you had here.(Joking! I know it's "diplomats". Just making sure you're paying attention.)

Proving himself to actually be good at bringing up ideas, Slingshot gave Silverbolt a plan: we split up Starscream's glam rock band and knock the six jack-afts off their "Lord of the Flies" pedestals.

Pretty simple: first we take out the Coneheads. You've seen them, even if you don't quite know their names off the bat: Ramhorn(wait--that's one of our guys!), Dork, and that red one who thinks he's a cyberporn star-to-be. After that would be the real fight, the main event: Slingshot, Skydive and Skyfire versus Skywarped and the Thundercat; while 'Flight, Silverbolt and me take on the Screaming Mimi himself.

We zoomed through the sky, trying to find someplace where there was no human or animal life that'd be threatened--even as the Decepticons were on our afts the whole time. We finally stopped around the Grand Canyon, and went through with our plan.

Everything went great. Silverbolt sliced through the sky like a knife--I think he was letting himself have fun for once.(Not that we did this for fun--that'd be stupid! 'Bolt just wasn't so worried about crashing, that's all.) He and Sling the Merciless tagged the Coneheads. Then--as part of the plan--Silverbolt led Flight and me, while Slingshot led 'Dive and Skyfire: in two triangle formations.

Then Leader One dragged himself into it. "Get out of Guardian airspace," he said. A Zero chased him away--I think that was really another Gobot named Zero(Renegade?)--and we stayed in formation, trying to hammer Starscream.

But the Decepti-jerks kept us in the air for over an hour. Starscream wasn't attacking for Megatron; he'd just decided that today was "Flip out on the Aerialbots" day. He'd said something about us "earning" our wings. Jerk. We were made to fly!

Then the Coneheads somehow manage to struggle to their feet. Since Ramrod and Dweeb--like me--have F-15 Eagle alt modes on this planet, they can handle a pounding. As we'd all been fighting against F-15s who refused to crash and burn today for--like I said, over an hour; we were all exhausted, while the Coneheads were fresh as a new-formed energon cube.

Slingshot bought us some time by scaring away Thirsty and Dirt(wimps) with the sound of Thundy's engine roars; but he and Skywookie caught on. While they were hammering Slingers and his team, we were being destroyed by the Screeching One...

...up until said Starscream made the mistake of: Pissing. Silverbolt. Off.

Silverbolt seeded the clouds, then the mother-of-all-thunderstorms-from-hell emerged. 'Bolt knocked Screamer into a few lightning bolts, then sent Starscream into the ground. The rest of us kept Skywarp and Thundercracker pinned.

Starscream was out for the count; Silverbolt landed, talked some trash, then shouted the usual: "Aerialbots--let's jet!" We headed straight back to HQ after that.

And that's what happened.

_**Scene:**_ 6

With a bored frown, Air Raid hands Ironhide a memory drive. "Just want you to know: I had no idea what to put down."

"We'll take that into account," states Prowl, receiving the drive from Ironhide. "You are dismissed."

After reading Air Raid's report, Prowl pinches the bridge of his nose.

"Even with after-actions, that kid yaps a mile a minute," grins Ironhide.

"It's certainly...colorful," muses Optimus.

_**Scene:**_ 7

AFTER ACTION REPORT.

2: Fireflight.

I have no idea how to write these. Please bear with me.

The five of us went on patrol; Skyfire joined us. We were just minding our own business, hadn't even spotted anything. Starscream and the other goons just attacked. We got away by transforming to root mode and cramming ourselves into Skyfire.

After pulling ourselves out of Skyfire--and letting him transform--we talked about how we'd deal with Starscream this week...I guess. There was a lovely forest below. I mostly half-heard Slingshot(biggest mouth of Autobase), Skyfire, and Silverbolt; and Air Raid had his piece: "We don't run from a fight!"

They concocted the plan. Silverbolt asked me if I understood, and I said sure. He then asked me to give a rundown of the plan--like my audios were malfunctioning. I wish they'd quit doing that--him and Skydive. They act like they're so much older and more mature, but they're not. They're only a couple of million years older than me--I'm almost seven.

Silverbolt gave me a quick rundown of the plan anyway: Raid and I would fly with him; while Skydive and Skyfire flanked Slingshot. This is after all six of us worked to take out Ramjet, Dirge and Thruster.(Oops! That's the Renegades' headquarters--right?)

Skydive, Skyfire, Raid and I flew on ahead; after a while, Silverbolt and Slingshot brought up the rear. Silverbolt looked a little sharper, flight-wise. He usually swerves a bit in the air, trying to keep steady for us.

I don't understand Silverbolt and his issues, I guess. At least Slingshot's brand of stupid makes sense: he hates being our slow guy. Never mind that he's also the second idea guy(after Skydive), the sharpshooter, and the guy _you_ always send on solo missions--he's got to be the Super Soldier Robot. Slingshot doesn't get it--there has to be balance here. If any one of us had the abilities of the others, we wouldn't need each other. What really puts me out is that I sometimes think Slingshot would like that just fine.

But that's probably what he wants us to think. If that were true, he wouldn't trudge back to headquarters and collapse in Ratchet's med bay for repairs--and I know if Slingshot really hated us that he could shaft us one of these days; he's mean enough. At least, he acts that way. Most of our squad is mean, except for Raid. He's cool. He never tries to make me feel stupid or inattentive; he just flies with me. Whatever happened to us pilots just enjoying the skies?

Oh, man: I have to find my point here....

The dogfight. Okay: Starscream and the gang caught up to us; Silverbolt and Slingshot ended up taking out Ramjet, Dirge and Trust(damn it--I can never get his name right!) while the rest of us kept the other three pinned. I think Skyfire and I had to deal with Thundercracker--he was the most vicious pilot up there.

A shame, really. Another time and place, and we could have been friends. I think he actually likes this planet more than he lets on. Then again, I don't think it matters whether you're an Autobot or Decepticon: how could anyone hate this beautiful world? From space it's a pretty blue; then when you hit the atmosphere, all the greens, golds and browns really hit you. Gorgeous. The clouds are amazing; they almost seem tangible until your body(well, in jet mode) slices through one.

Yet every time I fight these jerks(the Decepticons, I mean), all they glitch about is how much better Cybertron is, and how they can't wait to suck the planet dry and other scrap. Autobots are barely better; "I want to go home to Cybertron" is the common theme. Who wants to go back to a war-torn hellhole?

...dogfight. Laserbeak tried to join the party, but Starscream shot at him. His own guy.(Or bird-bot. Whatever.) Starscream broke away for a moment, then rejoined the fight just as Slingshot and Silverbolt made Ramjet crash.(They flew in perfect tandem. Weird.)

We entered our triangle formations; Silverbolt, Raid and I attacked Starscream while the others kept Skywarp and Thundercracker pinned.(I was just glad I didn't have to tangle with that guy anymore. Like I said before: Thundercracker's a vicious pilot.)

Then Leader One decided to jump in. Something about "Guardian airspace". We shot at him to make him get the hell out of the way--we would have broken formation and it would've been ugly. There's a US Air Force base near his headquarters--full of humans--and that's what I think he was worried about. The problem was that where we decided to make our stand was the best place we could think of to fight--with the Decepticons on our six. Some other Gobot zipped in, attacked Leader One, and got him out of our fight.

Those three Decepticons...would not crash. We hit them with everything we had, but they just stayed airborne. Worse, Silverbolt started losing his nerve after Starscream started hammering him.(It was hard to stay in this triangle formation and watch Silverbolt's six at the same time.)

Ramjet, Dirge and Thrust(did I get his name right?) almost came to join them, but two of them panicked and fled. That's when Thundercracker started being vicious yet again. "Break their fucking line!" I could hear him from where I was(and he probably did it on purpose).

At that point, I wondered why we didn't just merge into Superion and beat the scrap out of all six of them--avoiding this mess in the first place. I don't know, even now. I guess we were just fed up with their attitude towards us--like we stole their sky or something. They tried to send us to the beginning of time, damn it! They wanted us erased from history--like Decepticons should be the only ones that fly or something stupid. I don't think they really know our shared history, where we came from.... It's sad.

Starscream continued ranting and raving, with Raid providing color commentary. Finally, Starscream said something that apparently caused Silverbolt to snap; our leader stopped swerving, transformed, gripped Starscream's neck column, and plunged into the clouds.

The next few moments involved a supercell, which normally means that it's time for sane aircraft to steer clear. But not Silverbolt. Being nuts, he can fly through thunderstorms easy(which, considering his topsy-turvy world, does make sense in a way). This Starscream learned the hard way as Silverbolt pounded the scrap out of said Decepticon. Silverbolt finally knocked Starscream to the ground, landed, said his piece, then ordered us all back to headquarters.

As for us trying to pretend this didn't happen: we...didn't want to worry you. That's all, sir. Sorry if we caused you any grief.

_**Scene:**_ 8

Fireflight bashfully knocks on the Control Room door.

Jazz chuckles. "Come in, Flight--we're expecting you, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. I've never...." Fireflight trembles, nervous. "I hope I did everything right." The F-4 Phantom mech sticks out his memory drive.

"As long as you made it as concise as you possibly could, you're fine," says Prowl patiently.

"I did my best."

"That's all we ask," states Optimus. "Dismissed."

"Thank you, sir." Bowing awkwardly, Fireflight leaves.

"Why'd he do that?" wonders Jazz.

"He's from Hikage City," answers Prowl as he inputs Fireflight's report.

The senior officers read the report for over ten minutes, attempting to decipher its rambling paragraphs.

Prowl finishes Fireflight's report, a confused look on his face. "I think humans would call this 'stream of consciousness'. Overall, though, his story matches with Air Raid's."

"He's the only one who noticed Laserbeak," adds Jazz. "'Where there's smoke...', you know?"

"Needs a bit of sharpening, but he can be pretty observant," notes Ironhide thoughtfully.

_**Scene:**_ 9

AFTER ACTION REPORT.

3: Skydive.

In the interest of full disclosure, I find after-action reports tiresome, repetitive and pointless; I will keep this brief.

The six of us engaged the Decepticons' main jetwarrior squadron, the Seekers of Vilnacron, shortly after departing from HQ. We eluded them temporarily, then devised a plan of action to fight them at a time of our choosing.

While the Aerialbots(ourselves minus Skyfire) could have merged into Superion, it was tacitly agreed that defeating them as ourselves would end the Decepticons' delusions regarding aerial ownership. It needed to be done. Also, it would give us much-needed field experience in dogfights (which I would rather read about, to be blunt).

The Decepticons located us after a chase across multiple airspaces; we engaged them again and fought. We downed three of them, then remained in extended conflict with the remaining three for over sixty minutes. Silverbolt was eventually able to subdue the lead jetwarrior, Starscream, ending the dogfight in our favor.

After ensuring the diplomats' safe departure, we returned to HQ.

That is all.

_**Scene:**_ 10

Skydive enters the Control Room unannounced, an annoyed scowl marring his features. He carelessly drops his memory drive onto the table and leaves without a word.

"And you guys think Slingshot has the attitude problem," quips Optimus, starting Skydive's report.

Ironhide glares at Skydive's report as it finishes. "Who does he think he is? I'll knock some sense into him, Prime."

"I ought to make him write it over," spits Optimus.

"He can't help it," counters Prowl. "He's the 'egghead'--the academic--of their team. Brains over...brawn."

"That won't work on me," quips Brawn, unbidden. "I come with brains."

"What the hell are you doing in here?" grins Ironhide. "You ain't a senior officer."

"I ain't a junior soldier, either." Brawn returns the grin.

"You have to leave, Brawn," states Prowl, himself unable to stop a smile from showing.

"Fine". Brawn scoffs at the protocol. "This is for Jazz's optics only." The small ground corps mech hands Jazz a datapad, then leaves.

"Academic, huh?" Optimus narrows his optics at Skydive's report. "Then we'll have to get his olfactory sensors out of the archives."

Slingshot enters the Control Room, approaches Prowl, and salutes him. He hands the tactician his memory drive, then leaves.

Ironhide whistles in amazement, approximating a human tone. "Damn. That's pretty sharp."

"Show-off." Prowl pouts smilingly.

Jazz chuckles while Optimus inputs Slingshot's report.

_**Scene:**_ 11

AFTER ACTION REPORT.

4: Slingshot.

Autobot Air Unit engaged the enemy, numbering six, approximately fifteen minutes after departure from Autobot Headquarters. Eluded attackers via Autobot Skyfire. Informal strategy session convened; concluded with working plan of attack.

Air Unit moved ahead with Autobot Skyfire; wing commander and ground support confirmed details of plan, detailed as follows:

Disable auxiliary unit of enemy squadron. Split enemy primary:

home wing commander[designated "wing leader one"], attack and

surveillance engage enemy wing commander; ground support[designated

"wing leader two"], tactics, and Autobot Skyfire[designated "air

adjunct"] engage enemy stealth and attack. Objective to disable

enemy squadron without incurring collateral damage.

Engaged enemy over Grand Canyon and enacted strategy. Neutral fighter attempted to disrupt engagement; the fighter(identified as Leader One) informed Air Unit and enemy squadron of same's unauthorized(and inadvertent) airspace entry. Fighter engaged by other neutral fighter; both left to continue own engagement.

Enemy managed to disable neural LAN connection between wing leaders one and two, reducing flight coordination by fifty-five percent. Wing leader two confronted air adjunct regarding past affiliation with enemy; reminded adjunct that said connection had no bearing on current engagement.

Sixty minutes in, Air Unit noted recovery of enemy auxiliary. Wing leader two utilized prior enemy strategy, driving away enemy auxiliary without further incident and returning the engagement to the preferred six-three home/enemy ratio.

Enemy attack increased battle intensity, determined to "break their fucking line" and assist enemy wing commander. Wing leader two retaliated with difficulty, unable to maneuver properly without breaking formation.

Wing leader one brought an abrupt end to the engagement by introducing silver iodide into the clouds, inducing a cumulonimbus formation. The resulting supercell had dangerous electrical storms; wing leader one proceeded to force the enemy wing commander into the lightning; finally, wing leader one grounded enemy wing commander.

Air Unit entered standard formation with Autobot Skyfire and returned to Headquarters, after surveillance confirmed that said Unit was not followed by the enemy for any retaliatory strikes and ensured that all dignitaries left Headquarters without mishap.

End report. Aerial Ground Troop Support Specialist C-53

_**Scene:**_ 12

Jazz refreshes his optics as he finishes Slingshot's report. "What the hell was that?"

"For once, an after-action report," quips Optimus. "That's how they're supposed to look."

"Prowl, this is written in your language," quips Ironhide. "Skyfire and Leader One are the only names I recognize here."

"The designation ending in 'C-53' is Slingshot's rank and position. He followed procedure almost to the letter." Prowl hands Slingshot's report back to Optimus.

"A little too technical. I think it's _perfect_ for Leader One," Optimus adds.

_**Scene:**_ 13

AFTER ACTION REPORT.

5: Silverbolt.

Where do I begin? Oh. Yes.

Starscream and his gang attacked us. We escaped temporarily, but knowing that the Seekers were apparently in the mood to hunt us down--with no concern for the diplomats or any other innocent people in the way; we decided to take the offensive and fight back when they showed their faces again. We developed a plan, then acted on it to the best of our abilities as pilots. We frustrated Starscream's goals and put an end to the dogfight as quickly as possible.

On behalf of the Aerialbots, I apologize for firing at the _seventh_, _**unidentified**_ F-15 Eagle. Had we received word that we were inadvertently dragging our dogfight into Guardian airspace, we most certainly would have made the split-second series of course corrections needed to both exit said airspace and avoid human casualties. We're amazing pilots. We could have done that with twice the number of murderous Decepticon Seekers riding our tails. Actually, no. In all likelihood, the six of us(including Skyfire) would have crashed or been forced to land. Then I wouldn't be here typing this business.

As luck would have it, no fatal casualties were incurred. Collateral damage is zero. We routed Starscream and his cronies, and aside from a bit of minor structural dings we sustained, the only injury was Leader One's ego, to be blunt.

All pertinent details, I hope, have been reported.

_**Scene:**_ 14

Silverbolt enters the control room, scowling. He hands Ironhide his memory drive, then leaves.

Ironhide inputs Silverbolt's report. "This is gonna be fun," he says, grinning. "There's a video/audio component to it."

"He got all fancy on us." Jazz grins. "Let's all have a look-see."

"I'm disappointed," quips Optimus as the recording of Silverbolt's report finishes playing. "I expected far more colorful invective."

"...I think he's upset." Prowl grins a bit.

Ironhide shakes his head. "Nah. You know he gets like this sometimes, particularly when he and his guys try to handle too much themselves."

"Indeed," adds Optimus. "Not _once_ in these reports do I note any attempt to contact us for backup."

"That's young pets for you," smirks Ironhide, "always wanting the action for themselves."

"It took some doing for them, Prime," continues Jazz, "but they got it done."

"Without Superion. Probably some point of honor for them. I must admit, I'm impressed." Optimus strokes his faceplate in thought.

The other senior Autobot officers nod in agreement. Skyfire enters, hands Optimus his memory drive, then leaves.

"If we can keep them alive," Optimus continues after a moment, "we just might have a shot at winning this war--and giving Fireflight what he wants. What we all want." The Autobot commander inputs Skyfire's report.

_**Scene:**_ 15

AFTER ACTION REPORT.

6: Skyfire.

I presume you want a detailed account of everything that happened. Except Silverbolt had already explained what happened. I see no point in rehashing what's already been said. I can, however, give you a bit of insight into Starscream's mind, the reason behind his attack.

The Aerialbots aren't aware of this, but they bear marked resemblances to five friends of mine before the War.(Which I was unaware of due to my time in Antarctica.) The five Decepticons and Starscream were part of a jetwarrior squadron at the Cybertron War Academy. Judging from the fact that Starscream currently flies with some rather disagreeable Decepticons rather than his wingmates, I suspect that my old friends may have died.

I recognize that the Starscream I know now has changed dramatically from the friend I once knew. Still, some remnant of my friend remains. He had returned home from Earth, after losing me; I suspect that my other five friends had died on Cybertron during his absence. Seeing me today, flying alongside five Stars of Heaven look-alikes, may have incited him. As they say here on Earth, there's method to the madness.

Questions arise as I consider Starscream's temperament. What would bring him to this path in life? I suspect that with his friends gone(all six of us), Starscream may have reasoned that he had nothing to lose by throwing in his lot with Megatron.

What I don't know: the cause of my friends' deaths. There was no war at the time. The last thing I knew about them before I left on my fateful exploration mission with Starscream was that they were imprisoned for a forced dive.(Knowing Starscream, he probably wanted to keep that fact hidden from me--to protect me, oddly enough.) I suspect that the answers lay with the other Autobots, but I don't anticipate hearing the whole story from any of them--if I get the truth at all....

In sum: Starscream attacked the six of us because of elements of his and my shared past. A bit of fuel for thought. It's better than repeating the minute details of the dogfight for the sixth time, at least.

_**Scene:**_ 16

"This is different," Jazz quips. "Didn't know he had other Decepticon friends."

"He's after something," muses Prowl.

"When Skyfire gets moody like this, it never ends well." Ironhide throws his hands up, frustrated.

"Why does he think we know the answers?" asks Optimus.

"No way to know." Prowl shrugs. "The trail's over nine million years too cold."

"Skyfire is right to say that his words are 'fuel for thought'," observes Optimus. "We need answers."

"Give me a few days to get the hang of all this." Jazz waves the datapad Brawn had handed him. "Might shed some light on Skyfire's report."

"Very well, Jazz. Do it. Ironhide, Prowl: discipline the Aerialbots at your discretion."

The security officer and tactician salute Optimus.

"Good. Meeting adjourned." Optimus retrieves the six memory drives and exits the Control Room, followed by his lieutenants.

_**Scene:**_ 17

A mech colored two shades of military green enters the cafeteria inside Guardian Headquarters.

"Haven't seen you in a while, Roy." Heatseeker beams at the mech. "What have you been up to?"

"Nothing," quips Mach-3, a Guardian F-4 Phantom refueling with Heatseeker.

"Like hell," counters Roy in a rough British accent. "I've been busting my aft all across this galaxy. You don't see me, but I see all of you lot."

"Okay, then, Royal-T," grins Leader One, baiting his friend. "Tell me why the hell you're here."

"Don't get cocky with me, Governor-general," Roy--known formally as Royal-T--quips. "You ought to have done it with that mouthy performance vehicle of yours."

Leader One rolls his optics. "Okay, _minna,_" he smiles, "he's on a roll." The other air Guardians in the room nod, knowing Roy well.

Roy continues. "I've also heard a bit about a pack of snotty _saibatoran_ pets flitting about in a dogfight with Starscream and his bunch of blackguards."

"It's true. I have the Autobots' after-action." Leader One drops his smile, still irritated about the dogfight occuring over UNECOM headquarters.

"I read the little aft cover," Roy scoffs. "He wrote it up right and proper, like he just trotted out of Academy. 'Aerial Ground Troop Support Specialist C-53'."

"The names were changed to protect the innocent," quips Ace.

"None of those mechs are innocent--except Skyfire. Maybe," Heatseeker grins.

"Oh, Mr. Specialist is innocent enough. I don't think Passenger Plane's going to let him alone, though." Roy shakes his head.

"And who is 'Passenger Plane'?" asks Turbo, the only ground mech in the cafeteria.

"Silver Bell...something or other."

"Silverbolt," counter Turbo and Leader One in unison.

"I didn't say that already?" Roy asks in an incredulous tone.

"You almost called him a Christmas carol," Turbo grins.

"Oh, is that right?" Roy shrugs. "It was close enough. All I know is that: the fraggin' Concorde SST, the scrap of an F-15, the crash-a-plenty F-4, the F-16 who puts on airs and that little _sad sot excuse_ of a McDonnell-Douglas AV-8 fancied themselves dogfighters in my air."

"_Your_ air." Turbo shakes his head. "I'll never get jetwarriors."

"I don't get why you lot roll about on the ground, Turbo, so I guess we're about even."

"I feel way too much incoming 'high-and-mighty'; too many glorious past dogfights rolling in here." The red car mecha stands. "I'm hitting the Nintendo circuit. Later." Turbo leaves the cafeteria.

Heatseeker shakes his head. "Ground mecha. They'll never get it."

_**Scene:**_ 18

At Deceptibase, Soundwave sits at the main computer terminal, with Starscream standing behind him.

"Encoded message received. Intended recipient: Starscream," says Soundwave.

"That, or someone's trying to upload a virus into our computer systems," Starscream scoffs. "Perform your function and play the damn thing."

Without comment, Soundwave complies.

"_This message is for Starscream, Air Commander of the Decepticon Imperial Battle Fleet. I have some information to relay to him regarding the Stars of Heaven: Decepticon jetwarriors Polaris, Altair, Algol, Rigel and Betelgeuse. Starscream will meet with me at the transmitted coordinates._

A set of Earth coordinates appear on the viewscreen.

"_Only Starscream may receive this information,_ continues the recorded voice. _He is to come alone. If I believe that he has been followed, or if I think that he intends treachery, I will leave--and he will never know the truth. End transmission._"

The message shuts off, returning the viewscreen to normal.

Soundwave shakes his head at the ineptitude of the message. The amateurish effort to conceal the speaker's identity was, to him, _hilariously_ futile.

"Don't bother," Starscream scoffs. "I'm perfectly happy to play cloak-and-dagger with him."

_**Scene:**_ 19

Starscream transforms and lands at the coordinates.

"_Step into the light--*_"

"Spare me, Skyfire!" Starscream spits, cutting off his former friend's disguised voice. "You've watched far too many of this planet's movies."

Skyfire's optics glow briefly, the only acknowledgement of Starscream's scorn.

"Or have you forgotten that Soundwave's a trained communications engineer!?" the Decepticon Air Commander continues.

"Sorry." Skyfire scowls as he steps out of the shadows. "I don't recall too much of the hierarchy."

"I know," smiles the jetwarrior thinly. "I'm actually amazed that you remember _any_ of your friends."

"Stuff it up your exhaust valve, _friend_," hisses Skyfire, bitter. "You won't wave their deaths in my face like a fuel-soaked rag. I'm not to blame."

"You may as well be--you see common cause with the ones who killed them!"

"I didn't come here to rehash my so-called treason. I'm leaving."

"I don't recommend it, traitor," scowls Skywarp, training his rifle onto the super jet.

"And I don't give a damn," counters Skyfire, tensing his fist.

"Don't be like that, partner," sneers Thundercracker. "We came all this way to see what the big fuss was about."

"Shares energon with us, then acts like he doesn't know us." Skywarp shakes his head.

"The information I have is for Starscream," states Skyfire. "It doesn't concern the two of you."

"I don't think he understands the 'wingmate' concept, Screamer," Skywarp quips, eliciting the desired scowl from Starscream.

"There's nothing you have to say to Starscream that you can't say in front of us," adds Thundercracker.

Skyfire pinches the bridge of his nose. "It's about his first set of wingmates."

"We already know about them," counters Skywarp.

"In the end, Skyfire: what is left to be said?" asks Starscream.

Skyfire glares at the three Seekers. "Fine. The Aerialbots are completely separate entities from the Stars of Heaven. I know what you're thinking, Starscream," the white super jet continues, "but it's not possible."

"Not with the present Prime." Starscream glares at Skyfire. "I'm not stupid, Skyfire. I've already reached that conclusion on my own. I will not believe, however, that you and five Autobots managed to defeat us in a dogfight."

"Why not? Air Raid has been an Autobot his whole life: as was his father before him, _et cetera_...." Skyfire winces.

"He does say that a lot," muses Skywarp.

"What about Skydive and Slingshot?" asks Starscream.

"Autobots. Obviously!" spits Skyfire.

"No Autobot could execute the Algol Maneuver so flawlessly."

"_He_ did." Skyfire chuckles, remembering how often Slingshot had studied and practiced that maneuver. "Face it, Starscream: they beat you--fair and square."

"You don't pay attention," Dirge intones, landing with Thrust and Ramjet.

"Where the hell did they come from!?" Skyfire balks.

"We're his wingmates, too, genius," smirks Thrust.

"Ah: a twin-trine formation. Big step _down_, huh?" Skyfire gives Starscream a lopsided, snarky grin.

Starscream lunges at Skyfire, but Thundercracker and Skywarp grab their wingleader.

"He's not worth it, Starscream--he ain't worth it." Skywarp glares at Skyfire.

Skyfire returns the glare. "I can pick at others' sore spots with the best of them."

"You have no honor," scowls Ramjet.

"Let's put this in perspective!" Skyfire roars. "I'm sick of this."

The Seekers of Vilnacron narrow their optics at their ex-comrade.

"I categorically refused to disregard my own principles, and I'm the traitor. Starscream plots to disintegrate Earth via exponential generator--with all of you on it--and he's trustworthy!?" the white super jet balks.

"I'm loyal to the Cause, not to Megatron. I want to lead the Decepticons to victory," counters Starscream.

"And we're just--as your _precious_ fleshbags would say--chopped liver," scoffs Skywarp.

"Both of you are screwy as far as I'm concerned," shrugs Thundercracker. "Starscream's the greater evil, but he's the devil I know."

"In the end," notes Skyfire with a bitter smile, "that attitude's going to bite you in the aft." He locks optics with Thundercracker.

"Ah, we know what Screamer is!" spits Skywarp, moving in front of Thundercracker as if to shield the sky-blue Seeker. "We're in this for the Cause."

"We can use Starscream to further our goals," adds Ramjet.

"He's fun at parties," quips Dirge.

"The Aerialbots are not the Stars," scowls Skyfire. "That's all I came to tell you. Now, if you would all excuse me, I'm leaving. Attack if you want." Skyfire turns his back on the six Decepticon jetwarriors.

Starscream scowls. likewise turning his back on Skyfire. "Another day...traitor." He tenses his fist as Skyfire takes off.

_**Scene:**_ 20

Aboard Thruster Rei, the Renegade faction Wing Zero's Thruster, Tux silently shakes his head at the Renegade jetwarriors; he hands Zero his fifth cube of contraband energon.

_One set of jet mecha fights another set; then every winged idiot's rambling on about it. The dogfight happened weeks ago. There are days_, continues Tux, drafting a small cube for himself, _when I wonder if Zero's any better than Cy-Kill._

"It was glorious...!" Zero finishes his account of the dogfight between the Aerialbots and the Seekers of Vilnacron. "To see young jetwarriors battle as the Aerialbots did, it lights a flame in my soul."

"Aw, I missed it!" Water Walk pouts. "We never get astrobeamed in when the good stuff happens."

"At least somebody knocked Starscream off his pedestal," Bad Boy sneers. "The Seekers of Vilnacron ain't so high-and-mighty now."

"Bah. Silverbolt performed no great feat," counters Sky Jack. "Starscream's a known coward."

"And what would you have done against Silverbolt, Jack?" smirks Snoop. "I hear the Aerialbots' wingleader was in rare form."

"If Silverbolt were my enemy," scowls the serious F-14, "he would have been on the ground, pleading for mercy."

"_Nyet_, comrade," counters Gunnyr. "Silverbolt would die at my hand."

"If I were there, I would've taken 'em all on!" brags Water Walk.

"How!?" balks Bullseye. "You're a Cessna."

"I'm a Renegade!"

"True. You're also a flying boat!"

"I can walk on water, pal. That's why they call me..."

"'Water Walk'?" quips Snoop.

"Nope. Jet Jesus, baby--Jet Jesus!"

Crasher scoffs at the Renegade seaplane. "I'll be convinced of your holiness when you turn this vat of solvent into energon."

"I know you haven't yet had your _fill_ of jetwarriors," Snoop smirks, "but that's no reason to kill our buzz."

"I'll quit when you stop gorging yourself silly on Autobot exhaust," counters Crasher in kind.

"Hn. You all disgust me," seethes Fitor, downing half of his cube of energon. "Dogfights are a waste of resources and personnel."

"Regain your jetwarrior's spirit, Fitor!" Zero spits. "You could do it if you'd remove your lips from that glorified bicycle's exhaust pipe."

"Hey!" scowl Crasher and Jack, both fervently loyal to Cy-Kill.

Fitor stops his fellow Bike Hero operatives from attacking. "Let's avoid the demands for after-action reports that would likely ensue if we let them goad us."

"I love it when Fighty gets all pompous," Crasher says to Jack, grinning.

"I need no exhortations to take pride in my capabilities," Fitor continues, "especially from pilot-guided missiles like you, Zero-_chan._" The red-and-black super jet levels a mean grin at Zero, spinning the propeller on the war plane mech for effect.

Zero scowls at the insult, but remains silent.

"I'll never understand car mecha," scoffs Bad Boy. "All they do for competition is drive around in circles, and occasionally crash into each other."

"Yeah.... Now _that_ is glorious!" Crasher punctuates this with a wild laugh.

"That's what it means to win," adds Drag Strip, unbidden--and uninvited.

"Don't forget the explosions!" continues Wildrider, with a mad cackle of his own. "All those beautiful fireballs: the mushroom clouds of yellowy-red flame and smoke. It's fraggin' art!"

"What the hell are you miserable Decepticons doing here!?" spits Zero.

"Indeed," adds Fitor, in rare agreement with the leader of Wing Zero. "Worthless minions of Megatron have no place here."

"Funny. Without our design specs, you guys wouldn't even have a Puzzler," quips Motormaster. "Anyway, we heard some yarn about one of your goons being able to turn solvent into energon. So make with the miracles already!" Motormaster gives Water Walk and Crasher a lopsided grin.

"No miracles, Stunticon, because of your doubt and unbelief," Water Walk shoots back.

Crasher grabs Water Walk. "May I crucify him now, Zero?" she asks. "I want to see if he resurrects himself in three days."

"Let him be crucified--gently," says Zero. "I need him for a mission."

Water Walk struggles vainly to escape the strong femme as he is carried away. "I'm not a sheep! I don't wanna be led to the slaughter! Zero! Why have you forsaken me...!"

Snoop leers at Crasher as the latter departs with her prey. "She's just practicing for Leader One," the stealth jet purrs, licking her lip components.

"_You're_ the one who's next, spy plane!" Crasher roars from outside the common area.

"Promises, promises!" Snoop hisses. She turns to the confused group of mechs. "I can't help it. She's so much fun to bait. Besides...I think she's kind of cute."

"I think she's beautiful..." sighs Breakdown, the Decepticon scout's face euphoric for once.

"Then let's watch your vision of loveliness work her magic on the Gobot dragonfly!" grins Wildrider. "Who knows--she might be into some hot white Lamborghini action after that workout!"

"Don't remind me of how that miserable yellow Autobot defiled her with his data."

"Not to mention Leader One," adds Snoop, adding fuel to the fire.

"I'll clean her--personally." Breakdown, Wildrider and Drag Strip leave.

"I can't believe that Dead wanted to go to a car wash instead of catching this." Chuckling, Motormaster follows after his teammates.

Bad Boy shakes his head. "If anything gets cleaned, it'll be their clocks when Crasher gets through with them."

"Yeah--after she's done with _Jet Jesus_," grins Bullseye.

_**Scene:**_ 21

Outside UNECOM, Leader One scowls at the approaching red cab-over semi.

"You're late." Leader One glares at Optimus as he transforms.

"My apologies," Optimus says in a curt tone. "Long drive from Central City to UNECOM."

"Granted." Leader One notes the memory drive in the Autobot commander's hand. "Do you have all of them?"

"Yes. Why do you need them? Is the after-action report I submitted to you _weeks ago_ insufficient?" Optimus glares at the Guardian F-15.

"I don't have the complete picture of what happened up there, and without it, I can't do my job."

"Not my problem."

"Your presence on Earth makes every problem I have your problem. I have enough on my hands with my own planet's insurrectionist elements," Leader One continues. "I don't need your band of unruly subversives complicating matters."

Optimus narrows his optics.

"Ideally, you'd all leave," adds the Guardian commander, narrowing his optics in turn, "but I don't think that's part of your plan."

Optimus closes the distance between himself and Leader One, punching (and denting) the wall behind the Gobot F-15. "While I'd love to put as much distance between myself and your _insufferable arrogance_ as logistics would allow," says the Autobot commander, "my ship is permanently wedged into a volcano. Until the Decepticons leave Earth in peace, we're stuck together."

"Too bad Earth's inhabited with sentient life; otherwise you could have blown it up with all the Decepticons on it. Isn't that how your outfit operates?" Leader One seethes.

"As a last resort."

"Not according to Guardian Intelligence for the last five M-cycles."

"If we're going to travel back five million sidereal solar cycles in time, then I'd be happy to remind you of your role--or _lack thereof_--in the Vilnacron Massacre."

Leader One snatches the memory drive with the after-action reports. "Your failure to plan did not constitute a crisis in the minds of the people of Gobotron--it was not my place to act. The fact that the Autobots haven't run your sad aft out on a rail only proves that any alliance between us was doomed to fail."

"As you're _done_ denigrating my soldiers," seethes Optimus, blue optics hot with restrained fury, "I will take my leave." Optimus transforms and leaves, kicking up as much dust and desert sand as possible.

Leader One glares at the departing semitrailer. _I hate him...._

_**Scene:**_ 22

Leader One enters Matt's office within UNECOM, scowling.

"After-action?" asks the human pilot, loosening his regulation tie.

"You think?" Leader One sets his memory drive down on the table.

Matt grins. "You're going to help them, aren't you?"

Leader One's optics widen, then narrow. "Let's make this clear, Hunter."

"Whoa, boy...." Matt smiles, understanding his friend.

"I'm not assisting the Autobots. They are subversives," Leader One continues. "My actions are designed to protect Gobotron, my duty as a Guardian. If it looks like I'm helping Optimus Prime to you, then you are mistaken."

"Uh-huh...."

Leader One walks toward the door. He smiles. "I guess I'll never see you look so good," he quips, noting the rarity of Matt in regular uniform--let alone his dress blues.

"You're dismissed, buddy," Matt pouts.

"Roger." Leader One exits Matt's office.

_**Scene:**_ 23

Slingshot enters Silverbolt's quarters. "You needed to see me, chief?"

"Yeah." Silverbolt, seated on his recharge berth, pats the space beside him. "Come here. I need to talk with you for a bit."

"About what?" winces Slingshot, annoyed. "I've got night patrol. "First time any of us have been allowed to fly in weeks, y'know?"

"Relax." Silverbolt gives Slingshot a lopsided, lazy smile; irking the younger Aerialbot further. "I've already got you covered. Skydive and Fireflight are on it."

"So, it takes two of the others to do what I can do." Pleased with himself, Slingshot joins Silverbolt on the berth. "I am the team anchor."

"We're making progress, I see," grins Silverbolt cannily.

"What?"

"You said 'team' for once."

"Ah, I know Flight needs all the help he can get. Dive's watchin' his six."

"Exactly. And I thought we could spend some time together." Silverbolt draws Slingshot into a heated kiss before the Harrier can react.

_**END ISSUE 4**_


End file.
